First things first: Do not quit your job without having another job lined up. We'll repeat that, because it's important. As hilarious and cathartic as it is to watch funny videos of people doing interpretive dances as a means of quitting their jobs, you do not want to join them. You can't pay the electric bill with 15 minutes of YouTube fame.

That said, there are a couple of indicators that you want to start lining up your next gig. Among them:

If you now find it hard to get excited about the parts of your job you used to enjoy -- or worse yet, feel the same sense of meh about your hobbies outside of work -- it's time to make an alternate plan. The sooner, the better. The longer you're blue, the harder it is to motivate yourself to do something about it. (Need help? WebMD has a roundup of resources here.)

2. Your physical health is suffering.

Constant stress isn't good for the body. If you notice your health taking a turn for the worse, especially if you're under intense pressure on a daily basis, start looking for your next job.

3. You feel like the odd person out.

You don't need to be best friends with your co-workers, but if you have nothing in common, you're not going to enjoy your time at the office. And since most of us spend the bulk of our waking hours working, that's pretty important.

4. You hate the boss.

Do you feel like the boss has your back? If not, it's hard to trust him or her with your questions and concerns. That's bad for both your long-term career path and your short-term happiness.

5. You don't have much respect for the company or its products.

Your company doesn't have to be working on a cure for cancer, but if you don't believe in what you're doing, you're not going to be good at it for very long. The product or service is less important than how you feel about it. You deserve to feel passionate about what you do. If your current job doesn't fit the bill, start thinking about ones that will.

Tell Us What You Think

How do you know when it's time to quit? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.

15 Comments

15
brandon
28 Sep

My issue is definitely 1,4,5 because of the low pay and not really feeling appreciated. On top of that being a recent graduate looking for a job in a already challenging market you want a job that raises your quality of life. A job where you can live off of, pay your bills, and at the same time build a salary. Minimum wage doesn't cut it. We are taught that education is the key and you apply a strong work ethnic and invest four years of your life so it is not unreasonable to expect the reward of a decent paying job that is reflective of the cost of living. At the same time in navigating some websites doing research you hear so-called experts stating, "Recent graduates have a unrealistic expectation of what they can earn"....Really! We just want a job, entry level, of course because we may not have that much experience per say as a graduate but the job should be reflective of our education and life experience. The advent of technology is an issue and the demo graphical change that has occurred in this country that now demands you to be bilingual to be more marketable is also frustrating in a country that predominantly speaks English. Our school system should emphasize learning a second language early on. All of these barriers are difficult to access. Dept of Labor is only going to offer low paying jobs anyway unless you have a lot of other certifications, experiences and credentials that may put you on another level which most don"t. All I am saying is that if you have at least a BA in whatever major you should be able to get a salaried position. We are told a Bachelors degree will raise your income by 65%; while at the same time they are saying don't count on it. The gap between the haves and the have nots is getting bigger every year. There are plenty of low hourly paying jobs but the quality jobs, particularly higher paying jobs, seems to be on hold due to financial budgetary constraints in major cities. The video really cleared some things up for me and universities need to do a better job of preparing graduates for the real world with real applications that relates to the job market before they get out..

14
brandon
28 Sep

My issue is definitely 1,4,5 because of the low page and not really feeling appreciated. On top of that being a recent graduate looking for a job in a already challenging market you want a job that raises your quality of life. A job where you can live off of, pay your bills, and at the same time build a salary. Minimum wage doesn't cut it. We are taught that education is the key and you apply a strong work ethnic and invest four years of your life so it is not unreasonable to expect the reward of a decent paying job that is reflective of the cost of living. At the same time in navigating some websites doing research you hear so-called experts stating, "Recent graduates have a unrealistic expectation of what they can earn"....Really! We just want a job, entry level, of course because we may not have that much experience per say but the job should be reflective of our education and life experience. The advent of technology is an issue and the demographical that now demands you to be bilingual to be more marketable is also frustrating in a country that predominantly speaks English. All of these barriers are difficult to access. Dept of Labor is only going to offer low paying jobs anyway unless you alot of other experiences and credentials that may put you on another level which most don"t. All I am saying is that if you have at least a BA in whatever major you should be able to get a salaried position. We are told a Bachelors degree will raise your income by 65%; while at the same time they are saying don't count on it. The gap between the haves and the have nots is getting bigger every year. There are plenty of low hourly paying jobs but the quality jobs, particularly major that seems to be a hold on those and some jobs it is really about who you know not by using a job placement agency or DOL.

13
Arthur
25 Sep

This is a very good article just right to the point. I am on (1) and (5). While my boss is ok, the managerial team are out of context. You have made think strongly for a change. Thanks for your article for going to the point.

12
marjorie
11 Sep

I kinda like the prayer Rivera presented. Because in the interim of searching for the next job, getting caught up with the retirement situation being near, starting ones own business, etc.... It's gonna take the strength graced by a higher power to reduce the stress and depression associated with negative bosses and/or coworkers...So many people risk their sanity and lives on dealing with crazies!!!!

11
A .Martinez
04 Sep

@mRivera that's exactly right you stick it out because you know that you're retirement will be a future.. And let me just give you a tip on how you handle those girls you put your mind and soul towards the Lord Jesus Christ and you say a prayer .... And it is a Daily one say it every morning..... and this is how it goes...Dear God as I begin this day let me turn my thoughts to you and ask your help and all I say and do. Give me the patients that I need to keep my peace of mind and life cares I hope dear god some happiness find. Let me live but for today not worry what's head for i have trust that you will see I get my daily bread and if some wishes I do not get Though ipray to thee help me to believe understand you know what's best for me... I failed you many times I know but when tonight rest I hope that I can kneel and say thank you God for taking me through this another day in Jesus name we pray....

10
John
04 Sep

Wish we could always control how others acted in terms of ethics when we try to strive for best ourselves?

9
John
04 Sep

Regarding what truth says above, I wonder how people can ensure their next place doesn't become toxic while looking for greener pastures?
Also, 3 & 4 are the most common reason people leave! Wonder how in the future we can easily choose who makes us comfortable and who respects us back with sincerity?

8
mRivera
27 Jun

I like my company. The pay and benefits are well above industry standard, and I like my bosses. The problem? My 3 co-workers are the most unpleasant, insufferable people I ever worked with. They are workplace bullies who are hypercritical of everything I do. I have been here 5 years and I have a strong hunch they wanted to hire another applicant in my place and have been trying to get me fired or quit ever since I started. In spite of their efforts, I always got excellent performance evals from my boss. The only reason I stay is that I'm just 2-3 years from retirement so I'm determined to stick it out until then.

7
truth
27 Jun

I think three, four and five are factors that lead to 1 and 2. I am in a job with a toxic culture so I am looking for greener pastures.

6
Riley
27 Jun

For me I experienced all 5 though I am leaving the company it was not my decision (I was part of a RIF last week). The reason that I stayed was that at my age to leave without getting a severance package was not an option and where RIF's are always and continual it was just a matter of time. When I was told it was actually a relief like getting paroled from prison. Even though I don't know what I'll do in the future it has to be better than the situation that I was in.

5
Ajay
26 Jun

In my case 1 and 4 are prominent. I am still in the same job but soon will be quitting. I am looking for a job but am going to start my own thing.

The pointers in this article are very good and provide with a direction to thoughts. I think I still will quit. I am sure I will do better running my own business.

4
Vinnie
26 Jun

I also quit without having another job lined up. It wasn't the optimal choice but one that was made in the best interests of my family and my health. I also realigned our finances several years prior in order to best weather the storm. I had been planning to start my own business and will now spend all of my energies in making that vision into a reality.

3
Ruffus
26 Jun

Good article for starting a conversation. I resigned from my prior employer due to 1 & 2{under Dr. care for stress related health issues}, (3 was there too but not the main reason). Ironically I resigned without another job lined up. It was a decision that was made with long thought and family involvement. It was not an easy decision but it was the right one. After 6 months of looking I will be starting my next success in 2 weeks time.

2
code
26 Jun

Numbers 2 and 5 seem like valid reasons to leave a job. Being depressed might be a reason to leave, but you'd better be sure it's the job that's causing the illness. I'm not so sure about 3 and 4, though.

One thing you left out is relationships with clients/customers. I have very little respect for my boss and hardly anything in common with either my boss or the other person in our office; but I feel like I'm making a difference in the lives of my clients. That means a lot to me and makes up for what's lacking in other aspects of my job.

1
Vish
24 Jun

Very timely article, for me personally. Have been mulling a change for a while, but hadn't known how to be really sure. Your questions made me introspect and realise its time for a change for me. Thankyou for the excellent pointers.